Endless slide fastener closure



March 1 5, 1960 P. A. KALLlO 2,923,155

ENDLESS SLIDE FASTENER CLOSURE File d se t. 10, 1956 //VVENTOZ PAUL AKALLIO W W 7 .AT T'Y ENDLESS SLIDE FASTENER CLOSURE Paul A. Kallio, Akron, Ohio,assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York 7 Application September 10, 1956, Serial No. 608,991

'1 Claims. (Cl. 24-205.-1

The invention relates to closures for adjacent margins having adjacent ends and extending along a structure, and especially .to slide fastener closures of the sealing type having spaced adjacent ends and extending periphermaintaining the positions of the ends of the slide fastener within the individual closing means; to provide for con tinuity of a seal along the slide fastener including the adjacent ends thereof; to provide an improved closing means for aligned, spaced-apart, adjacent ends of the closure and for separability of the closing means; and to provide for simplicity of construction, convenience of manufacture and use and for eifectiveness of operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. I

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sealing slide fastener closure joining the adjacent end portions of a pair of fluidconducting conduits, parts being broken away and in section, i I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the closure at adjacent ends of the slide fastener,

Fig. 3 is an exploded view in perspective of the parts constituting an individual closing means for adjacent ends of the slide fastener.

Fig. 4 is a tangential sectional view along line 4-4 in Fig. 1 with parts of the individual closing means disengaged and separated,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an end stop for the slide fastener and constituting a part of the individual closing means,

Fig. '6 is a view of the closure in its fully open condition with the slider-in approximate starting position on one end ofthe slide fastener, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the closing means in partially assembled condition showing the end stop disposed in a channel of said means, parts being broken away and in section. v

The closure embodying the invention and shown in the drawings,is constructed and arranged to join and close adjacent spaced ends of apairof fluid-conducting conduits 10, 11 which, for example, may constitute ducts in a ventilating air system. The closure seals the space between the conduits, yet is fully separable to facilitate convenientaccess to the interior of the conduits at their adjacent ends as for servicing and repair purposes, especially when the conduits are within an airplane.

United States Patent" 9 "ice 2 The construction of the said closure includes continuous flexible margins or endless bands 12, 13 of,impervious, textile fabric such, for example, as rubber-coated cotton cloth extending peripherally continuous about the relative ly stilf ends of the conduits in overlapping attached relation thereto. The flexible margins 12, 13 may be adhered to the conduits as by a liquid rubber cement of the aircuring type. They extend axially away from the conduits toward each other but terminate short of one another to provide space therebetween for accommodating flexible closing elements or strips'14, 15 and retaining means'or coacting fastener elements or teeth 16, 17 of [a slide fastener assembly 18. Flexible stringers 19, 20 of suitable impervious,'textile fabric such as rubber-coated cotton cloth extend in continuation of and are suitably adhered rubber face first to adjacent marginal portions of the peripheral margins -12, 13 in overlapping relation there to, preferably at the outer face thereof, whereby the stringers constitute an integral part of the flexible margins 12, 13.

The fastener elements 16, 17 which may be of suitable metal, are attached at adjacent edges of the stringers 19, 20 and arranged in series along such edges. The

flexible closing elements 14, 15, desirably of resilient rubber and L-shaped in cross-section and at the inner face of the stringers, may have their bases mounted in part on the fastener elements and in part on the stringers, and have their tapered marginal portions extending in overlapping, contacting relation one to the other across the fastener elements in the closed condition of the closure, as shown and claimed in the Krupp Patent No. 2,545,817. However, the peripherally extending stringers 19, 20 are preferably divided at a suitable position (indicated by the numeral 21) in the periphery of the flexible margins 12, 13 to provide adjacent pairs of end portions.

of the stringers, and so that there is a gap of substantial fastener mounted on the flexible margins 12, 13 to form length in the series of fastener elements and in the continuity of the closing elements, as shown in Fig. 6, to.

provide-peripherally spaced-apart pairs of end portions 22, 23 of the closing elements in end-to-end aligned relation. The divided stringer construction facilitates the use of a single, suitablestraight length of sealing slide the peripheral seal.

End portions 24, 25 of the stringers are fully adhered to the underlying continuous flexible margins 12, 13 and are desirably rubber coated on their exposed faces, as shown in Fig. 2. The other pair of end portions 26, 27 of the stringers desirably but not necessarily overlap the end portions 24, 25 with their rubber faces unattached to the rubber faced end portions 24, 25. This arrange: ment facilitates continuity of the peripheral seal when the overlapping end portions 24, 25, 26, 27 are pressed together, and also facilitatesflifting or folding the unattached end portions 26, 27 back upon themselves, as

'shown'in Fig. 2, for purposes described hereinafter.

The invention provides closing means 28 positioned at the divide in the stringers 19, 20, and at the gap in the fastener elements 16, 17 and in the closing elements 14, 15. The closing means 28 includes a backing member29 of stilf material such, for example, as aluminum alloy having preferably a circular shape in plan, the backing member 29 being secured to a steel stud 30 with external threads thereon at the free end region thereof. The

aluminum material of the backing member is of sufficient thickness and stiifness to resist objectionable distortion and flexure-and the stud projects perpendicular to and outwardly away from a flat face of the backing member.

A sealing and cushioning body-'31 of elastic material such, for example, as natural or synthetic rubber or other rubber-like material, and desirably of neoprene [a polymer of chloroprene, namely (2-chlorobutadiene)] and of vforrnability;

(21 (B uniform thickness, may be adhered by a suitable rubber cement to the said flat face of the backing member 29. The sealing and cushioning body 31 may be of disk-like form and circular in plan of the same outside diameter as thebacking member and also maybe of a thickness approximately equal to the maximum thickness of the backing member so as to have substantial resilient de- The stud 361 extends centrally through and beyond the exposed face or surface of the sealing and cushioning body 31.

The exposed face of the sealing and cushioning body has therein a flat-bottomed channel preferably of uniform depth extending diametrically entirely across thehody and the closing elements 14, 15 in their closed condition, as shown in Fig. 4. The channel, as shown Fig. 3, is desirably of stepped width providing opposite, short end po on 32, 331501" receiving e p os t Pa rs of sontacting' end portions of the closing elements in coutaet ing, snug fitting relation with the sides of the end portions 32, 33 substantially'couformed elastically'to the. shape of the external sides of the closing elements 14, 15. Spaced-apart intermediate portions 34, 34 in continuation of the end portions 32, 33 of the channel are each relatively wider than the end portions 32, 33 to permit either portion 34 to accommodate a generally rectangular shaped, dual barrelled, hollow part 35 or friction catch portion of brass or other suitable metal of an end stop 36, which friction catch portion 35 is fixedly secured as by soldering to a face of a flat, continuous, annular portion or washer 37 of suitable thin stiff metal with a stud-receiving central aperture 38- therethrough, which washer constitutes a part ofthe end stop 36.

The enlarged centrfl portion 39 of the channel in the sealing and cushioning body 31 has opposed arcuate side walls intersecting the side walls of the intermediate portions 34, 34, the arcuate side walls being radially inwardly inclined relative to the exposed'face of the body 31 so that the central portion 39 can receive the washer 37 and the arcuate walls can releasably, frictionally grip the washer for retaining purposes, when the stud 30 extends through the aperture 38 in the washer.

The backing member 29', sealing and cushioning body 31 and the end stop 36 are positioned at one face of the margins 12, 13 and the stringers 19, 20 with the threaded stud 3th projecting through the lateral space between the stringers at the pair of foldable end portions 26, 27 thereof, as shownin Fig. 2, and projecting beyond the other face of themargins and stringers.

For'continuously pressing the opposed pair of contacting end portions 22, 23 of the closing elements 1d, E5, the engaged fastener elements 16, 17, and the overlapped pairs of end portions 24, 25 and 26, 27 of the stringers 19, 20 firmly toward or against the elastic sealing and cushioru'ng body 31, the closing means 28 includes a clamping member 40 of stiff material such, for example,

. of sufiicient depth to accommodate and support therein as aluminum alloy having preferably a circular shape in plan and an outside diameter equal to that of the backing member 29 and elastic body 31. The clamping member 4% has a non-threaded, central aperture 41 therethrough to accommodate the stud 30 and has sufiicient thickness and stiffness to resist objectionable distortion and fiexure. The clamping member 40 at its circular, flat inner face positionable nearest the stringers has preferably a shallow, central, circular recess 40a to accommodate the friction catch 35 of the end stop and also to provide for a continuous annular seating surface 42 of substantial width extending circumferentially about the outer periphery of said inner face. This peripheral seating surface 52 presses directly against the stringers and the engaged fastener elements in the closed condition of the closure. An externally knurled, interiorly threaded, circular nut 43 of aluminum alloy, for example, may be provided for threadedlyengaging the projecting part of the stud 3t and for urging the clamping member 40 toward the underlying backing member 29' and elastit;

body 31 of the closing means. The stud 3i and the nut 43 thus comprise separable fastener means for the closing means 28 of the slide fastener closure, which separable fastener means 3%], 43 as shown in the drawings, is adjustable so as to assure urging the backing and clamping members 29, 40 and elastic body 31 toward one another.

Preferably, a short, axially or laterally-extending, strap connector 44 of suitable rubber coated textile fabric is adhesively se red to the backing member, stud and elastic body assern y, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, and adhesively secured to one of the fabric margins 12 and disposed at the interior of the. conduits 10,11 to provide a hinge connection and to avoid loss of the said assembly, when the closure is fully open, as shown in Fig. 6. The hinge connection together with the foldable stringer end portions 26, 27 facilitates moving the said assembly out of the way, when the closure is fully opemand it is desired to engage a slider or runner zirorraews construction with the "fastener ele'rn'eirts 16, r r'ersmpiasirea of the stringers 2t? at the end'portionizdthereor foi-v the purpose of "moving the slider along the 'Strisgr'ie its other end portion 24- for subsequently closing disclosure The end stop 36 is constructed and arranged to engage metal prongs 45, 46 extending beyond the last of the fastener elements 1.6, 17 on the riorr-foldable end portions 24, 25 of the strangers to facilitate closing the closure by interlocking engagement of the fastener elements. The end stop 36, by means of the stud 30 extending through the aperture 38 in the washer 31, makes feasible aligning the fastener elements 15, 17 for engagement together with maintenance of the latter elements and of the end portions 22, 23 of the closing element s 14,15 in overlapping relaticnto the closing means. One o f the prongs 4bis positioned within one of the barrels of the friction catch portion 35 and fixedly secured therein as by crimping the wall of the barrel. The other prong 45 can be iriserted first through the slider and tlie n releasably inserted in the other barrel of the portion 35, when the fastener elements are to be engaged to close the closure. It is to be understood that in the closed condition of the closure, the slider. is; completely removed from the slide fastener structure.

Although the construction and arrangement of the closing means 28 and of the. end portions of the slide fastener structure shown in the drawings is that of a peripheral closure, substantially the same construction and arrangement can also be used to join and close aligned, adjacent ends of at least two, individual, sealing "slide fastener lengths extending along a structure to. close jacent margins thereof. However, for such a construction, it may be desirable to puo ide each of the adjacent ends of the stringers with suitable prongs'45, 46 and to provide a pair of diametrically opposed, aligned, suitable friction catch portions 35, 35, fixe dly secured to the washer 37 adapted to be received in the channel in the elastic body 31. Also, if desired, the path of the 'c ha nnel 1n the elastic body 31 may be changed to a non-straight path when the slide fastener lengths are in angular relationship, in which case the friction catch portions 35, 35 are angula rly arranged to be disposed in the intermediate portions 34, 34 of the non-straight channel; I

In the operation of the peripheral closure shown in the drawings with the closure in the closed condition shown in Fig. l, the knurled nut 43 is threadedl y disengaged from the stud 30 after which the clamping member" is lifted and removed entirely from the stud, thereby exposing the pairs of end portions 24, 25 and 27 of the stringers, theengaged fastener elements 16,;17. at said end portions, and the friction catch portions 35 of the end stop with the prongs {15, 46; therein. The engaged ener l ents 1 17 nd h Ill g closin s 9: mer ts 1 4, 15 may be fully separated by initially grasping he a d. po ion 2 27 off e st ss n then pply n l ter o axia pul in apart farce there o tqsiissgssss the end fastener elements. Such force is subsequently applied at such successive positions along the stringers until all the fastener elements are disengaged, after which disengagement the prong 45 can beflfully withdrawn from within the barrel in the friction catch portion35. 'This completely opensthe closure about its periphery, and then the end stop 36 can be removed from the stud 30 thus permitting axial separating movement of the stringers 19 20, the closing elements 14, 15, and the flexible margins 12, 13 to facilitate convenient access to the interior of the conduits 10, 11 as for servicing purposes, as shown in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the backing member, elastic body and stud assembly can be readily swung out of the way, by virtue of the strap connector 44, and can be easily restored to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when the closure is to be closed.

The closure may be changed from its open condition shown in Fig. 6 to the closed condition shown in Fig. 1 by slipping the slider 47 small end first alongthe beaded edge of the end portion 26 of the stringer 20 and inserting the first few fastener elements 16 into and through the space in the slider, after which the slider 47 is moved along the peripheral edge of the stringer 20 and over the fastener elements 16 until thesmall end of the slider 47 abuts against the end of the friction catch portion 35 of the end stop. 36. The backing member, elastic body and stud assembly may be swung back into positiomwith the stud 30 through the aperture 38 in the washer 37lof the end stop 36, and the prong 45cm the other'stringer 19 inserted through the space in the slider 47'into' the open barrel in the friction catch portion 35. The slider 47 can then be moved peripherally away from the end stop 36 thus re-engaging the fastener elements 16, 17 and bring ing the closing elements 14, 15 into overlapping sealing contact entirely around the closure, and the slider is next removed from the closure by movement of the slider beyond last of the fastener elements on the end portions 26, 27 of the stringers. a

The end portions 26, 27 may be folded back upon themselves as shown in Fig. 2, and the contacting end portions 22, 23 of the closing elements seated in the channel end portions 32, 33 in the elastic body 31, while the washer 37 and friction catch portion 35 are also seated in thechannel in the elastic body 31, after which the end portions 26, 27 of the stringers are laid flat upon the underlying end portions 24, of the stringers. Next the clamping member 40 is slipped over the stud 30 and the knurled nut 43 threaded on the stud 30 until the clampingmember presses firmly against the stringers l9ij20andaflexiblg margins 12, 13 and the fastener elements 16, 17 as we] as the friction catch portion 35. This places the'closure in the closed condition shown in Fig. lso that end portions 22, 23 of the closing elements seal againstthe walls in the channel in the elastic body 31, and the peripheral rim 42 of the clamping member 40 presses the stringers 16, 17 and margins 12, 13 into sealing contact with the channeled surface of the elastic body 31. The deformability of the elastic material of the body 31-accommodates variations in thickness of the parts clamped between the clamping member 40 and the body 31 thereby facili tating the desired seal at the region of the position 21 hence continuity of the peripheral seal of the closure; 7

Variations maybe made without departing fromthe scope of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A slide fastener closure for adjacent margins, said closure comprising flexible stringers for attachment to the adjacent margins and having opposite pairs of end portions of said stringers in adjacent relation, slide fastener elements on said stringers, flexible closing elements at a face of and extending along the stringers adjacent the fastener elements for contacting one another to close the stringers, said closing elements including opposite pairs of end portions in adjacent spaced end-to-end relation at said opposite pairs of end portions of the stringers, and

. the body receiving the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements, a backing member of stiff material underlying substantially the entire area of and supporting said body, end stop means in and removable from said channel means in said body and connected to said slide fastener elements on one of said pairs of end portions ofsaid stringers, a clamping member of stiff material including a recess in a face thereof accommodating said end stop means disposed at the other face of said stringers in overlapping relation to said opposite pairs of end portions of the stringers and the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements and to said body and said backing member and said end stop means,

press each said pair of contacting end portions of the closing elements firmly against the walls in said channel means in the body.

2. Closure apparatus for joining adjacent opposite ends of a slide'fastener structure including a pair of stringers with fastener elements thereon and flexible closing elements at a face-of the stringers for closing the latter by a contacting relationship 'of said closing elements, said closure apparatus being adapted for separate positioning upon said adjacent opposite ends of the slide fastener structure, and comprising a body of elastic material with a continuous channel extending across said body in a surface thereof for receiving opposite spaced-apart pairs of endportions of the closing elements in their contacting relationship, an end stop meansin said channel adapted to be connected to the fastener elements on the stringers at one of the adjacent opposite pairs of ends thereof, a

a backing member of stiff material supporting said body, a

--betwe'eii.=the opposite spaced: pairs ofzendYportions of the clamping member of stiff material for overlapping the adjacent opposite ends of the stringers and the opposite spaced pairs of end portions of the closing elements, said clamping member including a recess in a-face thereof accommodating said end stop means and being disposed in overlapping relation to said body and said end stop means and said backing member, and separable fastener means atthe region of said channel for positioning inthe space closing elements, the last said means engaging said members and said end stop means to retain the latter in position in said channel and urging said members toward one another whereby to press each pair of contacting end portions of the closing elements firmly against the walls in said channel in said body. I

3. Closure apparatus for joining adjacent opposite ends of a slide fastener structure including atpair of stringers with fastenerv elements thereon and flexible closing elements ata face of the stringers for closing the latter by a contacting relationship of said closing elements, said closure apparatus being adapted for separate positioning upon said adjacent opposite ends of the slide fastener structure and comprising a body of elastic material with a continuous channel extending across said body in a surface thereof for receiving opposite spaced pairs of end portions of the closing elements in their contacting relationship, a backing member of stiff material supporting said body, a clamping member of stiff material for overlapping relation to said body and said backing member,

and separable fastener means at the region of said channel for positioning in the space between the opposite asserts spaced pairs of end portions of the closing elements, the

last said means engaging and urging said members toward one another whereby to press each pair of contasting end portions of the closing elements firmly against the walls in said channel.

4, Closure apparatus forjoining adjacent opposite ends, of a slide fastener structure including a pair of stringers with interengageable fastener elements thereon and fiexiole closing elements for sealing the said fastener structure by a contacting relationship of said closing elements, said closure apparatus being adapted for separate positioning upon said adjacent opposite ends'of the slide fastener structure and comprising a body of elastic mate rial with channel means in a surface of said body for receiving opposite spaced pairs of end portions of the closing elements in their contacting relatonship and the fastener elements at said pairs of end portions of the closing elements in their engaged relationship, a backing member of stifi material supporting said body, a clamping member of stiff material for overlapping the adjacent opposite ends of the stringers and the opposite spaced pairs of end portions of the closing elements and the fastener elements at said pairs of end portio'ns of the closing elements, said clamping member being disposed in overlapping relation to said body and said backing member, and separable fastener means in said channei means for positioning in the space between the opposite spaced pairs of end portions of the closing elements and said fastener elements at said pairs of end portions of the closing elements, the last said means engaging and urging said members toward one another whereby to press each pair of contacting end portions of the closing elements firmly against the walls in said channel and to hold the engaged end fastener elements within said closure apparatus.

5. A slide fastener closure for adjacent margins of a structure, said closure comprising flexible stringers for attachment to the adjacent margins and having opposite pairs of end portions of said stringers in adjacent relation, slide fastener elements on said stringers, flexible closing elements at a face of and extending along the stringers adjacent the fastener elements for contacting oneanother to close the stringers, said closing elements including opposite pairs of end portions in adjacent spaced relation at said opposite pairs of end portions of the stringer and separate closing means at said end portions of the stringers comprising a body of elastic material disposed at said face of the stringers with channel means in a sur-- face of the body receiving the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements, a backing member of stiff material supporting said body, a clamping rnern ber of stiff material disposed at the other face of said stringers in overlapping relation to said opposite pairs of end portions of the stringers and the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements and to 6. A slide fastener closure for adjacent margins extending peripherally about a structure, said closure comprising flexible'stringers attached to the adjacent margins and having opposite pairs of end portions of said stringers in adjacent relatio'n at a position in the periphery of said margins, interengaging slide fastener elements on said stringers, flexible closing elements at a face of and extending along the stringers adjacent the fastener elements andcontacting one another to close the stringers, said closing elements including opposite pairs of end portions in adjacent spaced end-to-end relation at said opposite pairs of end portions of the stringers, and separate closing means at said end portions of the stringers comprising a body of elastic material disposed at said face of the stringers with channel means in a surface of the body receiving the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements, a backing member of stiff material supporting said body throughout the major part of its area, a clamping member of stifi material disposed at the other face of said stringers in overlapping relation to said opposite pairs of end portions of the stringers and the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements and to said body and said backing member, and adjustable fastener means'extending between said memhere in said channel means and in the space between said pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements and engaging and urging both said members toward one another to press each pair of contacting end portions of the closing elements firmly against the walls in said channel means in said body.

7. A closure for adjacent margins extending peripheral ly about a structure, said closure comprising a pair of flexible closing elements disposed at a face of said margins and contacting one another to close the margins, said closing elements including opposite pairs of end portions in adjacent spaced relation at a position in the periphery of said margins, fastener means associated with said margins for detachably joining the latter and holding said closing elements in their contacting relationship along said margins, and separate closing means at said spaced pairs of end portions of the closing elements comprising a body of elastic material disposed at said face of the margins with channel means in a surface of the body receiving the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements, a backing member of stiff material supporting said body, a clamping member of stiff material disposed at the other face of said margins in overlapping relation to the spaced pairs of contacting end portions of the closing elements and to said body and said backing member, and adjustable fastener means extending between said members in said channel means and in the space between said pairs of contacting end portions of the closing ele ments and engaging and urging both said members toward one another to presseach pair of contacting end portions of the closing elements firmly against the walls in said channel means in said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,204,627 Segal June 18, 1940 2,321,926 Marinsky June 15, 1943 2,521,174 Krupp Sept. 5, 1950 

